Vetoed by Governor Chris Christie

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends the limit on salary increases for public police and fire departments, effective April 1, 2014.

Highlights:

• Extends the expiration date of a collective bargaining agreement requiring a 2 percent limit on base salary increases for public police and fire departments from April 1, 2014 to December 31, 2017 (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes an arbitrator for collective bargaining negotiations between a public employer and a public fire or police department to increase the department’s base salary by more than 2 percent, but less than 3 percent, if the public employer has experienced the following savings (Sec. 2):
• Savings due to increased employee contributions toward health and medical insurance premiums; and
• Savings due to a reduction in the workforce.

• Requires the Public Employment Relations Commission to select an arbitrator from their panel if the 2 negotiating parties do not submit a common name on each party’s list of 3 possible arbitrators (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits the total cost of an arbitrator’s services from exceeding $10,000, whereas existing law prohibits the cost from exceeding $7,500 (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends the limit on salary increases for public police and fire departments, effective April 1, 2014.

Highlights:

• Extends the expiration date of a collective bargaining agreement requiring a 2 percent limit on base salary increases for public police and fire departments from April 1, 2014 to December 31, 2017 (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes an arbitrator for collective bargaining negotiations between a public employer and a public fire or police department to increase the department’s base salary by more than 2 percent, but less than 3 percent, if the public employer has experienced the following savings (Sec. 2):
• Savings due to increased employee contributions toward health and medical insurance premiums; and
• Savings due to a reduction in the workforce.

• Requires the Public Employment Relations Commission to select an arbitrator from their panel if the 2 negotiating parties do not submit a common name on each party’s list of 3 possible arbitrators (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits the total cost of an arbitrator’s services from exceeding $10,000, whereas existing law prohibits the cost from exceeding $7,500 (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text